Hours passed. Dinner was had, and practice began. Me with the Kwons and the boys working on their choreography and singing. And remarkably, I managed to not feel quite as dead after the last two hours of practice with the twins than I thought. Instead of spending a lot of time on practicing the two pieces of choreography I knew, they spent a good amount of time practicing things that were apparently considered fundamentals. Like how to keep move one part of my body separate from the others, and, my favorite, how to properly do a wave. The boys got a kick out of that one, and I made them keep practicing it with me until it was time for them to go.

8 o'clock, the time for rehearsal to be over, came and went with the twins. For the next hour I practiced by myself. Well, I practiced, then just laid on the floor and felt silly, then got up and practiced more. Rinse and repeat. I couldn't practice my Only Look at Me choreography, so instead I was trying to get the moves down for the other dance the boys had shown me. The one that could be done alone or with a partner. Don and Deuk had each taken turns dancing it with me and critiquing how I was doing, but there were still problem parts, of course. And since the twins stressed that there were a lot of fundamentals in this dance and learning it would help, I was trying my best to master it.

I had just started to run through it one last time when the door opened. I almost stopped until I saw that it was just the boys coming in, since they were supposed to have left when the others did almost an hour ago, but I decided against stopping. Sure, it was a little embarrassing to have them watch me fail at this dance, but I was certain they wouldn't laugh at me. Well, almost certain. So I simply focused on the dance moves. When I was finished, I wanted to punch something. That most certainly wasn't my best run through, and the fact that the boys saw it made it even worse. However, they didn't leave me much time to feel sorry for myself.

"What was that?" Taeyang said as he walked over to me.

A complete and utter failure? "A dance Don-ah and Deuk-ah showed me. They said practicing it would help with my fundamentals."

"Hm," he said as he just looked at me, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"It look..." Seungri spoke up as he joined the two of us, "not right?"

"Yes," Taeyang agreed. "Is that all of it?"

It took me a moment to realize what they meant. The fact that they both were able to pick up on the fact that it was a two person dance impressed me. "Oh, well, it can also be a two person dance. Do... do you want to see?" I asked, thinking about the video the twins had shown me. "There is a clip of it, but a few things have been changed." I glanced over to my phone, which was in my bag against the wall, and saw the other boys sitting in the corner. I felt bad about making them stay just so I could practice a piece that I would never perform, but having a chance to work with just Taeyang and Seungri would give me a chance to improve even more. I took a deep breath and walked over to the boys, only to have to clear my throat  in order to grab their attention.

"Oh, hey Nikky," GD said as he smiled at me.

"Hey guys," I cleared my throat again and looked down at my feet. "So, I was wondering if you would mind, you know, staying for another 30 minutes or so?"

I heard a short laugh and looked up to see GD holding a notebook up for me to see. "That's fine. We are working on lyrics." I glanced at the other two who simply nodded and smiled.

"Oh, well, good!" I smiled, wondering what song they could be working on lyrics for, but I didn't ask. Instead, I grabbed my phone from my bag, gave a quick "Thanks!" to the guys, and hurried back over with my phone to show the video to Taeyang and Seungri.

---

In the end, 30 minutes came and went much faster than I had thought it would. Dae, GD, & Top were all still sitting in the corner. GD & Dae seemed to be listening to the same music player and scribbling in a notebook together while Top sometimes contributed but every now and then fiddled with his phone. Apparently they were working on lyrics for Daesung's solo album and they all seemed quite content, where as Taeyang? This was a bit of a new side of him that I was seeing.

I had a feeling he had studied intensely under Cho Hee-unnie, because as sweet as he normally was, that was how strict he was currently being. He seemed to continuously find something I was doing wrong, and repeating the same section over and over again became the norm very quickly. But I could admit that I was definitely doing much better now than I had been simply 30 minutes ago. Dancing with Seungri was helping as well. He kept subtly changing how I held my arm or how we executed a move until, after a few more times, I was doing it correctly on my own, almost without realizing it.

We had just finished going through the dance again, for the umpteenth time, and were still in the final position, which I admit was slightly more intimate than I was used to but not worse than anything from the concert, when Taeyang clapped. "Good! Very good, Nikky," he said with a smile. From the corner of my eye I saw the other guys look up at us as well, but was distracted as Seungri grabbed me in a hug and spun me around. Talk about unexpected! I knew that hugging, or skinship as they called it, was something that wasn't done very much, except with people you were close to. So, while I wasn't surprised by a hug here and there, especially when the maknaes got really excited, being picked up and spun around? That was surprising. I let out a little squeak but laughed as he set me down. "That was almost perfect," Taeyang said as he came up next to us.

"Very good, noona!" Seungri told me with a smile as he let me go.

"Can we go now?" A sullen voice spoke up from the corner. I turned to see Top standing up, his face blank and bag in hand.

"Ah, yes, sorry," I said as the rest of us gathered our things. "I didn't mean to keep us so late," I explained as I picked up my bag. I turned around to see him with an almost glare on his face, but he quickly shrugged and started heading out the door. I couldn't help but tilt my head and look after him, puzzled. However, the others were already following him out, chatting about who knew what, and eventually it was Daesung  and myself who brought up the rear.

When we got to the street, I couldn't keep the frown off of my face as I stared at the back of the disguised head in front of me. Obviously I had done something wrong, again, if his expression from before told me anything. I just had no idea what it was. Luckily, I had Dae beside me, and he could tell that something was wrong. Man, this was the third night in a row that one of us ended up needing comfort and strength from the other, deja vu much?

"Do not worry, noona," the concerned boy beside me said. "Hyung is..."

"He has a temper, I remember," I replied.

"Yes but, he is, hm," he pursued his lips as he thought, "moods?"

"Moods? Oh, you mean moody?"

"Ah, yes, moody," he nodded. "He is angry than happy than sad. Very fast." I sighed and my shoulders slumped. It was easier to deal with a moody friend if you knew what their triggers were. I felt Dae move closer and suddenly his arm was draped over my shoulder. I looked over and he smiled at me, blushing slightly, most likely from pushing his comfort zone concerning skinship. "You need a hug, but we are walking," he said.

I laughed a little and smiled back. "This works," I said, switching my bag to my outside arm and putting the free one around his waist. We walked in silence, sharing strength and comfort and enjoying each other's company for the time being. "Thanks Dae," I said, feeling much better. "That was just want I needed."

"Welcome, noona," he replied with a grin, dropping his arm as we headed towards the back entrance of the building to avoid the fan girls. "Very welcome."

---

It was time for bed, but I just could not fall asleep. Luckily, Taeyang had given me his iPod earlier with a bunch of new songs on it, so I grabbed it and my phone and went out in the hallway. I considered just sitting outside of my door, but that might have been a little awkward if anyone came out of their doorsinto the hallway, so instead? I went exploring, headphones in, new music blasting. A quick turn down a corner at the end of the hallway and then I saw it. A full length window looking over the city with two lounge chairs in front of it. Perfect. I smiled as I settled in, sitting on one leg and pulling the other up to my chest. I took my phone out and smiled even more as I saw the text I had gotten earlier that day. Minzy had sent me a picture of all of the girls in some new crazy outfit their designer had made for them. With it was a text "Nikky-unnie! You must see concert of us! Jeremy made these. They are pretty, yes?" This was actually the second text I had gotten from her. The first was yesterday and said "Nikky-unnie, I was happy to meet you! Seungri give me your number. We keep in touch, yes!" She was so adorable and silly that she helped alleviate my bad mood without even seeing me in person.

Of course, as soon as I had finished replying, I was left with my thoughts again. Or at least I thought I was. Until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I almost jumped right out of my chair. Almost being the key word. I definitely did jump a couple inches, but I managed to stay in my chair and not look silly and clumsy for once. I turned and saw none other than the man causing my cloudy thoughts moving around the other chair until he dropped into it and assumed what I could only assume to be his "lounge ily" position. "Hey," I said, taking the headphone out of my ear that was pointed towards him. That was headphone code for 'I guess I can talk if you want to, but I don't want to start up the conversation'. Don't believe me? Look it up. I swear.

But he didn't speak headphone code, and we ended up both just sitting in the chairs for a few minutes, messing around on our phones. Just as I was about to put my headphone back in, he cleared his throat. I stopped and looked over to see that he had put his phone away and was just staring out the window, twirling one of the rings around his finger. "So... Did you like dancing?" He glanced over at me quickly before looking back out the window. "With Seungri?"

"Wh- What?" I couldn't help but look at him confused. I was a little taken back. That was what he wanted to talk about? But, why?

Instead of replying, he simply shrugged and looked down at the ring he was playing with.

The atmosphere felt a little heavy, so, to try and relieve it, I smiled and decided to joke around with him. "Why, are you jealous?" I laughed a little, because that was just silly, but he didn't answer. He just continued to stare instently at his ring while twisting it around on his finger. So I sighed before beginning. "I really can't dance at all. And that worries me. I didn't think about us dancing as being anything more than when you and I dance during the concert. Instead, I was just really glad that he and Taeyang were helping me improve. I... I don't want to do something silly on stage or look bad while dancing and make you all look bad in turn.

"It looked fine," he replied.

"You really think so?"

He glanced over at me, and I think he felt a little bit of pity at the obvious hope that was showing on my face. That was the only reason I could think of to explain him smiling at me before turning and looking out the window. "Yes, I do."

I grinned at him and I knew that whatever was wrong between us was over with, even if I had no idea what had been wrong in the first place. "Well, thank you." I couldn't help but blush a little as I continued to grin. I paused the song that had been playing in the background, took the other headphone out, and put both the iPod and my phone away before stretching my arms a little. "Um, its late so," I cleared my throat, trying to neutralize my expression, "I think I am going to head to bed." I stood up quickly as I said that but I only took one step before I fell. It turns out that if you sit on your leg while curled up in a chair for any amount of time, it will in fact, fall asleep. And if you try to put weight on that leg, your knee won't be able to function and you will collapse. Yay.

"Are you okay?" I heard movement beside me and I looked over to see Top actually crouching on the floor next to me.

"Ugh, I'm so silly," I grumbled as I tried to untangle my completely immobilized leg. "My leg is asleep, that's all."

He grinned at me. "Yes, that is silly." I gave him a playful glare, but he just smiled and held his hand out to me. "Want help?"

I looked at him before putting my hand out. "Oh, sure, thanks," I replied only to have him grab my arm and lift me up rather unexpectedly. I gripped his arm as I gained my balance, then continued to hold on as I tested the weight on my foot to make sure it wasn't going to collapse again. Certain that it wasn't, I looked up with a smile, only to realize just how close we were. I lost all train of thought at that moment. "Um... thanks..." I managed to mumble out before feeling like I had lost my ability to speak. He was smiling down at me, a genuine smile this time, not a smirk, and he just looked so... happy. His eyes, normally dark and intense, were half closed with his smile, and yet I still couldn't look away from them. I barely noticed the smile slowly drift away until only that small little smirk was left. Why? His eyes stayed locked with mine even as he took another step towards me. I almost felt like I was looking straight up, he was that close.

"Nikky-yah..." he said quietly. He tilted his head slightly when −

"Nooooona?" We both jumped apart just as Seungri came around the corner of the hallway. "Ah, Nikky-noona! Noonas worried about you," he said with a smile as he walked up to the two of us.

"Oh, sorry," I said with a shaky laugh. "I was nervous and couldn't sleep, so I came out here to think." I took a step to try and get around Top but, of course, my knee was just starting to wake up with the pins and needles feeling and I almost fell again, this time with a slightly pained look on my face. Top managed to grab my arm and steady me again, giving me a concerned look, but it was the maknae who vocalized the question.

"Okay, noona?" He asked, both his face and his voice showing his concern

I looked over at him and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. My leg just fell asleep, thats all."

His concerned expression quickly gave way to a smirk. "It is because you see me," he shook his head as he talked. "I make knees weak, sorry."

I just raised my eyebrow and laughed at him as looked back at me and smirked. "Oh maknae. You wish."

He, in turn, raised an eyebrow at me. "Well, maybe Top make knees weak?" He grinned at both of us, but Top was quick to let go of my arm and jump over the chair, trying to grab Seungri who just laughed danced out of the way. I can't help but laugh at their antics as I sat down on the chair again.

Top turned to me, looking a little bit concerned. "You sure you okay?"

I nodded and smiled at him. "Yes, I am." I made a little flapping motion with my hand. "You two go ahead. I'll head back in a minute, I promise."

He continued to look in my direction and opened his mouth to say something more when Seungri grinned and said something to him in Korean. Top looked at the maknae, than back at me again, and I swear he looked like he was blushing slightly before he quickly turned and slung his arm around Seungri's shoulder/ neck. "Good night, Nikky-yah," he said as he dragged his dongsaeng down the hall.

"Night, noona!" Seungri called out, waving at me just as they got to the corner. I waved back and shook my head, almost more confused now than I had been before. I had a feeling it would be awhile before I fell asleep tonight.

---

A/N: So, sorry this took awhile. A lot happened last week...

First: I started my new work out schedule and diet, which leaves me really, really exhausted >.<

Second: I received word that I'm going to be a contributing writer for a K-Pop fan site ^_^ What this means is that I will probably be updating only twice a week from now on :( I'm really, really sorry if that isn't enough, but I like my chapters to be longer and to have substance to them, so it takes me a day or two to write it and then another day for the reviewers to make sure I didn't mess anything up, lol. And just so you know, I think I can consider this story about.... Half-way done? The scary part about having 27 chapters is that this story so far has only taken place over 5 days, lol. I... I like to make my story action packed, lol. 

Well, I hope you all have enjoyed everything so far, and please, let me know what you think! (Also, be on the look out for new graphics soon-ish I hope!) <3